Bicycle



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheep 1.

' G. T. WARWICK.

BICYCLE.

No. 362,407.. h Patented May 3, 1887.

u. pnzns, Pholo-Uthvnmphnr. walhinglon. nc,

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2'.

G. T. WARWICK.

BICYCLE.

No. 3 2.407. Patented May a, 11-887 UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

GEORGE THO. \VARVIOK, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION fanning part'of Letters Patent No. 362,407, dated May 3, 1887.

Application filed November 6, 1886. Serial No. 218,139. (No model.) Patented in England April 28, 1886, No. 5,750.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE THO. WAR- WIOK, acitizen of England, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the following is' a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bicycles, and pertains to an improved construction of the backbone thereof, the fork,

means for attaching the crank-arms to the axle, the brake, means for attaching thehandlebars to the fork-head, animproved saddle and means of hanging the same, and an improved foot-pedal; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the above-referred-to parts of the machine and devices connected therewith, all as hereinafter fully described and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the backbone, the fork, and a portion of the wheels of a bicycle, said backbone and fork being shown in longitudinal section and illustrating my improvements in the construction thereof. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the backbone on the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is also an enlarged transverse sect-ion of the backbone on the line y y, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged transverse sections of one arm of the fork, respectively, on lines 00 and 11 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the lower ends of the fork, the crank-arms, and the hub of the wheel, showing portions of the axle. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the head of the fork, a portion of the backbone, and of the wheel, showing the handle-bars, brake devices embodying my improvements, and a brake-lever attached to one of the handle-bars. Fi 8 is a plan view of the saddle, a portion tl iereof being shown broken away. Fig. 9 isa side elevation, partly in section, of the upper part .of the fork and the head thereof, the upper end of the backbone, and of the saddle. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 illustrate details of handle-bar construction and means of connecting the latter with the fork-head, all as hereinafter fully described. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of 50 the ends, the longitudinal bars, and one of the 'to or nearly to the lower ends thereof.

connecting-bolts of the foot-treadle. Fig. 14 is a perspective View of one of the tubular foot-treadle bars. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the treadle-shaft. Fig. 16 illustrates front, rear, and edge views of detail parts hereinafter described. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a portion of the ball-bearing of the foot-treadle. Fig. '18 is alongitudinal sectional view of the foot-treadle on the line of the shaft thereof, but showing the latter in full lines. Fig. 19 is a plan view of the two treadle-bars, showing thereon a portion of the foot-treadle covering. Fig. 20 is a side elevation of wrench for turning one -of the treadle parts.

My improvements in the construction of the backbone 2 and the fork 3 of a bicycle consist in making those parts tubular, as shown, but with the walls thereof of gradually-diminishing thickness from their upper ends or heads Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate in cross-section (enlarged) the difference in the exterior diameter of the backbone at the point on line so :r, Fig. 1, near its head, and at the point on lineg y, same figure, near its lower end. The arms of the fork 3 are made of the usual elliptical form in erosssection, and are, like said backbone, tu-

bular. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate (enlarged) cross-sectional views of one of said fork-arms, respectively, at lines as and y, Fig. 1, wherein is shown that the walls of said arm gradually diminish in thickness from the upper to the lower end of the fork, or substantially so.

By the above-described improved construction of said backbone and fork, said parts are made as lightas is consistent with the required strength thereof, and their walls are made thickest where the greatest strain upon them comes, thereby obviating the unnecessary use of material at points where it is not especially required, and so securing lightness of construction and providing the greatest thickness of walls at and near the points where the back bone and fork are subjected to the greatest strain.

To provide improved means for connecting the crank-arms of a bicycle with the axle thereof, the ends of the latter are provided with right and left hand screws, and the crankends of said bars.

arms are correspondingly threaded and screwed thereon against a proper shoulder on the axle.

Fig. 6 illustrates said improvements, in

-which 4 indicates the lower ends of the fork,

5 the crankarms, 6 the axle, 7 the hub of the main wheel, and 8 screws entering the ends of the axle against an ordinary washer, the latter having abcaring against the outer side of the crank-arm. By the employment of the above-dcscribed means for attaching said crankarms 5 to the axle 6 all danger of disconnection or loosening of said arms is obviated, for the force exerted against the cranks to propel the machine tends constantly to screw said arms more and more tightly on the axle.

Fig. 7 illustrates the above-refcrrcdto improvements in brakes for bicycles, the improved brake proper consisting of the post 9, having a brake-shoe, 10, on its lower end, said post being supported in lateral perforated projections 11 on the head 12 of the fork 3, in which supportingprojections said brake-post 9 has a limited longitudinal movement, a spring, 13, between one of said projections and a head on the upper end of said post serving to lift the latter and said brake-shoe away from the surface of the wheel-tire 14. To operate the brake to foreiblymovc it against the wheelrim, a brake-lever, 15, is provided, which is pivoted by a suitable sleeve, as shown, or other equivalent means, to one of the handlebars 16, one arm of said lever extending toward the end of said handle-bar within easy reach of the fingers of the rider, and the shorter arm of said lever extending over and adapted to swing against the upper end of the brakepost 9, whereby the latter is operated, as aforesaid.

The abovedcscrihcd improved brake devices provide thosethat are more simple in construc tion and more directly acting than those here tofore made.

The above-rcferred-to handle-bar construe tion of a bicycle consists in constructing the handle-bars o1" tapering tubes, whose walls are of graduallydecreasing thickness from the fork-head to their ends, and in uniting said bars by brazing or otherwise suitably securing their larger ends to the ends of'a centrally-located plug, 17, having a collar, 18, thereon, (see Fig. 12,) suitable handles being attached to the The handle-bars united to said plug, as described, are secured to the forkhead 12, on which is a bracketbcaring, 19, having a circular groove therein, by placing said plug portion of the handles on said bracket, the collar 18 entering said groove therein, whereby any endwise motion of the handles in said bearing is prevented. The handles are clamped to the bearing 19 by a slotted clamp-block, 20, the slot therein corresponding in position with the aforesaid groove in the bearing 19, said collar 18 entering said slot in'the clamp-block, as well as the groove in said hearing. The clamp-block 20 is secured to the forkliead 12 by a nut, 21, as shown.

The above-described tapering tubular construction of the handle-bars, with their uniting plug, provides convenient incans for attachin g the same to and detaching the same from the fork-head, and less danger exists of breaking the bars accidentally when the machine is overturned; and should one of the handle-bars get broken, the broken part is easily removed from the said central plug, 17, and another handle can be secured thereon in place of the broken one.

The upper end ofthe spindle 22 of the backbone is secured in the fork-head by a screw, 23, the lower end of which receives the upper end of said spindle. 'Said screw 23 1s screwed into the upper end of the fork-head, and on its upper end is screwed the nut 21, which holds the said clamp 20 in place on the handle-bar plug, as described. The said screw 23 therefore serves the double purpose of providing a bearing for the upper end of said spindle and as a screw-stud for the nut 21.

The above-refcrred-to improved bicycle-sad dle construction embodies therein a seat, 24-, (shown in plan view in Fig. 8 and in side clevation in Fig. 9,) which seat is constructed of leather or other similar material, and to the undcr side of the same are secured two metallic rc-enforcing strips, 25, by riveting the ends or other suitable means, to prevent the elongation of the seat by stretching, said strips being secured on either side of a longitudinal slot in the seat, as shown in Fig. 8, in which figure one of said strips is shown through a broken-away portion of the seat, and the other is shown in dotted lines. 1 The rear end of the seat 24 is secured by riveting or otherwise to a metallic circular strip, as shown in Fig. 8, having a boss, 26, thereon, and said boss is pivotally connected to the upper end of a rigid metallicarm, 27, the latter being pivoted near its lowercnd to a clamp-ring, 28, secured on the backbone 2 of the bicycle; or said arm 27 maybe pivoted to a suitable boss formed on said backbone and integral therewith. A short arm, 2.), extends laterally from one side of said ring 28, and the lower end of the arm 27 extends over the upper sideofsaid arm 29, and has an adjusting-screw, 30, therein, the lower end of which has a bearing on said arm 29, whereby, by turning said screw, the arm 27 or the rear support for the saddle has its upper end swung to such position as may be desirable to impart the desired longitudinal ten sion to the seat 24. A set-nut, as shown, on screw 30 serves to lock the latter in any position to which it may be turned.

It is obvious that when the arm 27 shall be pivoted, as aforesaid, on a boss on said backbone, integral therewith or brazed thereto, the point of the adj ustingscrew 30 may hear directly on the backbone, and when the latter is constructed with the above-described thick walls at the place where the saddle is secured to it no danger of crushing or indenting the side of the backbone by the pressure of said screw thereupon need be apprehended.

IIO

The front end of the seat 24 of the saddle is secured to the end of the vertical arm of the elbow-lever 31, the end of said arm being bifurcated and having a bolt, 32, passing transversely through its bifurcated parts, around whlch said front end of the saddle-seat is secured, as shown. The elbow-lever 31 is pivoted to the head of the backbone, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, audits horizontal arm 33 extends over the backbone 2, and is provided wlth a socket in its under side to receive a spr1ug,34', of rubber preferably, (although a metallic spiral orother formed spring may be used,) which forces the end of said arm 33 away from the backbone, and is so elastic as to impart an easy motion to the saddle when ridden upon.

The above-referred to improved foot-treadle s constructed, as hereinafter described, with improved ball-bearings therefor and an improved covering, on which the foot rests. The end plates, 35, of vthe foot-pedal are each of them provided with a projecting collar, 36, whlch is internally screw-threaded, and within said collar, but separated from it, is a grooved segment of a collar, 37, of less diameter than the collar 36, but concentric'therewith, which segment 37 partly surrounds the shaft-hole through the end plate, 35, and the groove therein is adapted to receive a series of bearing-balls, 38. 39, corresponding in form to the said segment of a collar, 37, and likewise grooved internally to receive said bearing-balls 38, is adapted to be placed within said collar 36, to form, when secured therein, as hereinafter descr1bed,a complete grooved ball bearing. A screw, 40, passes through the collar 36 against the side of said segment 39, and rigidly holds the latter in position against the segment of a collar, 37, a setnut being placed on said screw, as shown, to prevent its becoming loosened.

A screw-cap, 41, (shown in front, rear, and edge views, in Fig. 16,) is adapted to be screwed into the collar 36, as shown in Fig. 18, thereby tightly closing the ball-bearing on the outer end plate of the pedal and keeping all dust from entering the bearing. The

shaft 42 of the pedal is placed in the latter,

in the position shown in Fig. 18'-that is to say, with the ball-bearing grooves z z concentric with the grooves in the aforesaid parts 39 and 37, in which the balls 38 are held, whereby said shaft is given a bearing solely on said balls. A screw-cap, substantially like said cap 41, is screwed into the collar 36 on the rear end of the pedal, but is suitably perforated to allow said shaft to pass through it, and it screws against a suitable collar on said shaft, to prevent the entrance of dust, the rear end of the shaft 42 being screw-threaded, as

shown, to provide for attaching the pedal to the cranlcarms of the bicycle. The said re movable grooved segment provides for the introduction of the shaft into the pedal and then for placing said segment, with'the balls therein, onto the shaft, and subsequently securing A detached segment of a ring,-

saidsegment, as before described. The construction of the foot-treadle with said ballbearings obviates any perceptible frictional resistance to the usual oscillating movement which is imparted to the pedal when the foot is acting thereon in the ordinary way.

The end plates, 35, of the pedal are united by two bolts, 43, one of which is shown in ing 45 being made of an elastic material and roughened, as aforesaid, providing an easy bearing for the foot and one which so 0011- forms itself to the surfaceof the shoesole as to peculiarly adapt it to the requirements of a foot-pedal covering.

Fig. 20 illustrates in side elevation a wrench which is adapted to fit onto the end of the screw-cap 41, for turning the latter in the collars 36 on the end plates, 35, of the pedal.

WVhat-I claim as my invention is- 1. A tubular backbone for a bicycle,having walls of decreasing thickness from the head or neck thereof to or nearly to its lower end,substantially as set forth.

2. A fork for a bicycle, having tubular arms the walls of which are of decreasing thickness from the fork-head to or nearly to their extremities, substantially as set forth.

3.' The handlebars of a bicycle, constructed from tapering tubes having walls which are of decreasing thickness from the fork-head toward their extremities and united by a cylindrical plug to which their larger ends are secured,said plug having thereon a projecting collar,combined with abracket-bcaring on the IIO side of the forkhcad to receive said plug and having a slotthcrein to receive the collar on the latter, and a clampblock sccu red over said bracketbcaring,having a slot therein in which said collar also engages, substantially as set forth.

4-. The handlebars of abicycle,constructed from tapering tubes having walls which are of decreasing thickness from the fork-head to ward their extremities, substantially as set forth.

5. A bicycle-saddle consisting of a seat, 24,

of leather or similar material, an arm, 27, piv-v 6. A bicycle-saddle consisting of a seat, 24, of leather or similar material, having two metallic re-enforcing strips, 25, secured to the under side thereof, an arm, 27, pivoted ata point between its ends to the backbone of the ma chine, the upper end of which is connected to the rear end of said seat and having an adj nstingscrew, 30, in its lowerend, an elbow-lever, 33, pivoted to the head of the backbone, having onearm connected to said seat and its second arm extending over the backbone, and a springinterposed between the latter and said second arm, substantially as set forth.

7. A seat for a bicycle saddle, constructed from flexible material, substantially as described, and provided with the flexible metallic re-enforcing strips 25.secured to the under side thereof, substantially as set forth.

8. A foot-treadle for bicycles,provided with end plates, 35, each having a collar, 36, and a grooved segment of a collar, 37, within the latter, combined with the removable grooved ring-segment 39, the annularly-grooved shaft 42, a series of balls fitting said grooved segments and providing a bearing for said shaft near each end thereof, and asnitable cap, substantially as described, screwing into said collar 36, substantially as set forth.

9. A bicycle-saddle consisting of a seat, 24, of leather or similar material, an arm,27,pivoted at a point between its ends to the backbone of the machine, the upper end of which is connected to the rear end of said seat-,an elbow-lever, 33, pivoted to the head of the backbone, having one arm connected to said seat and its second arm extending over the backbone,and a spring interposed between the latter and said second arm, substantially as set forth.

G E0. THO. \VATMVIOK.

Witnesses:

H. A. CHAPIN, G. M. CHAMBERLAIN. 

